Chicken queso and pasta shells
I recently shared my recipe for Queso Blanco Dip on Newsbreak. Today I will be making a stovetop casserole using the dip as one of the ingredients, along with chunks of chicken and small pasta shells. Leftover chicken works really well with this recipe, and you can use both white and dark chicken meat.
Ingredients:
2 cups of chicken, boneless, cooked and chopped (I am using leftovers from yesterday's meal).
1 pound of small pasta shells, cooked and drained
1 tablespoon of onion powder
1-1/2 cups of Queso Blanco Dip
2 cups of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (white or yellow)
1 to 2 cups of cream-style corn or whole kernel corn (the amount depends on your preference).
1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of seasoning salt for the pasta pot
4 quarts of water to cook the pasta shells in
Instructions:
First, if you don't have any leftover chicken, go ahead and prepare it. You can bake, boil, fry, or use a rotisserie chicken.
In a pasta pot, add 4 quarts of water and 1 teaspoon of seasoning salt. Bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat, then add 1 pound of pasta shells. Cook for about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta water in a mesh colander and return the pasta back to the pan.
Now, add 2 cups of cooked chopped chicken, 1 tablespoon of onion powder, 1-1/2 cups of Queso Blanco dip, 2 cups of cream of chicken soup, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese (white or yellow), 1 to 2 cups of cream-style corn or whole kernel corn, and 1 tablespoon of freshly ground black pepper to the pasta pot. Stir well.
Turn the burner on low and simmer for about 12 minutes to heat the ingredients through. The cheddar cheese should be completely melted when the chicken queso is done. Cover and keep warm until you're ready to serve it.